Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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PALLET COVER COMPRISING ONE OR MORE
TEMPERATURE-CONTROL MEMBERS AND
KIT FOR USE IN MAKING THE PALLET COVER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to pallet covers and relates more
particularly to pallet covers that include one or more temperature-control
members.
Pallet covers that are used to help maintain pallet-sized loads of temperature-
sensitive materials, such as biological and/or pharmaceutical products, within
a desired
temperature range for a desired period of time are well-known. Examples of
such pallet
covers, also sometimes referred to as -pallet blankets," are discussed below.
In U.S. Patent No. 8,250,835 B2, inventor Kenneally, which issued August 28,
2012, and which is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed an
airtight cover
assembly that includes a side panel folded around goods on a pallet presenting
top and
.. bottom opening, a top panel with a plurality of pouches positioned on an
inside surface
above a vented rigid plate, and a bottom panel enclosing the pallet. Hook and
loop
closures secure the panel assembly. Panel inner and outer surfaces of a
polyvinyl chloride
material bonded to an aluminum laminate enclose multiple layers of foam.
In U.S. Patent No. 6,482,332. inventor Malach, which issued November 19, 2002,
and which is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a phase
change material
that comprises 1-99.5% by weight polypi, wherein the polyol is selected from
the group
consisting of 1,4 butanediol and 1,6 hexanediol, 0.5-99% by weight water, and
an amount
of a nucleating agent sufficient to reduce super cooling of the phase change
formulation.
The phase change material may be placed in blankets made up of pouches of
phase change
material. The blankets may also be thin, flat sheets using permeable mats.
Blankets of
phase change material may be used to enclose entire pallets of product.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2013/0062355 Al, inventor
Shulman, which was published March 14, 2013, and which is incorporated herein
by
reference, there are disclosed packaging and storing assemblies having phase
change
materials and methods of using the packaging and storage assemblies. The
packaging can
have a temperature barrier layer and can be used to insulate a trailer (e.g.,
in walls of trailer
or liner inside trailer). The packaging can be in the form of reusable
blankets to
cover/wrap pallets or as hanging curtains/separators in a storage unit or
trailer.
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In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2008/0066490 Al, inventor
Santeler, which was published March 20, 2008, and which is incorporated herein
by
reference, there is disclosed a compartmentalized refrigerant wrap. More
specifically,
according to the subject patent application publication, there is disclosed an
elongated
sheet having repeating compartments and intermittent sections placed after any
repeating
compartment. The repeating compartments are closed membranes encasing
refrigerant
therein. Alternatively, the repeating compartments may be disposed with
pockets for
releasably retaining the refrigerant. The intermittent sections are flat in
cross section and
provide holes along its sides for creating a passageway therethrough. The
holes may be
strengthened using a grommet or the like. In use, one elongate sheet is
secured to other
elongated sheets in any various end-to-end and/or side-to-side combinations
for creating a
modular blanket of refrigerant. The sheets are secured to one another by hooks
or other
known means in which holes in one sheet are connected to various holes in
another sheet.
The refrigerant blanket may then be placed around the exterior of a large
quantity of
perishable goods for maintaining the temperature of the sensitive goods.
In PCT International Publication No. WO 2014/070167 Al, which was published
May 8, 2014, and which is incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed
a thermal
stabilization shipping system that comprises a pallet to underlie a palletized
load and a
blanket dimensioned to drape over a top of the palletized load and reach down
to the
pallet. The blanket has compartments containing a phase change material.
Other documents that may be of interest include the following, all of which
are
incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Patent No. 7,919,163 B2, inventor
Romero, issued
April 5, 2011; U.S. Patent No. 6,478,061 B2, inventor Haberkom, issued
November 12,
2002: U.S. Patent No. 5,906,290, inventor Haberkom, issued May 25, 1999; U.S.
Patent
Application No. US 2010/0037563 Al, inventor Luyten, published February 18,
2010; UK
Patent No, GB 2418413 B. published March 19, 2008; and German Gebrauchsmuster
No.
DE 8801345 U1, published March 31, 1988.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel pallet cover
suitable for
use in covering at least a portion of a payload on a pallet.
Therefore, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a
pallet cover
suitable for use in covering at least a portion of a payload on a pallet, the
pallet cover
comprising (a) a top wall; (b) a front wall; (c) a rear wall: (d) a left side
wall; and (e) a
right side wall; (f) wherein each of said top wall, said front wall, said rear
wall, said left
side wall, and said right side wall comprises at least one pocket for
receiving a
temperature-control member, and wherein at least one of said top wall, said
front wall, said
rear wall, said left side wall, and said right side wall further comprises a
temperature-
control member disposed in at least one of said pockets, and wherein at least
one of said
top wall, said front wall, said rear wall, said left side wall and said right
side wall has an
adjustable length.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of said front
wall, said
rear wall, said left side wall and said right side wall may have an adjustable
length.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of said front
wall, said
rear wall, said left side wall and said right side wall may comprise a first
portion and a
second portion, the first portion may have a bottom. the second portion may
have a top.
and the top of the second portion may be detachably joined to the bottom of
the first
portion.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the first portion and
the
second portion may have different lengths.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the second portion may
be
devoid of a temperature-control member
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of the front wall,
the
rear wall, the left side wall and the right side wall may be detachably joined
to the top wall.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of the top wall,
the front
wall, the rear wall, the left side wall, and the right side wall may comprise
a first fabric
sheet and a second fabric sheet, the first fabric sheet and the second fabric
sheet may be
joined to one another to define a plurality of pockets, and each of the
plurality of pockets
may be suitable for holding a separate temperature-control member.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the pockets may have
open
ends, and each of the top wall, the front wall, the rear wall, the left side
wall, and the right
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side wall may further include closures for securely yet removably retaining a
temperature-
control member in a pocket.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of the top wall,
the front
wall, the rear wall, the left side wall, and the right side wall may further
comprise a layer of
insulation, and the second fabric sheet may be disposed between the first
fabric sheet and
the layer of insulation.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the top wall may
further
comprise at least one looped handle to facilitate transport of the top wall.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the temperature-control
member may comprise a phase-change material.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the phase-change
material
may be a gelled organic phase-change material and may comprise at least one n-
alkane and
a gelling agent selected from the group consisting of a styrene-ethylene-
butylene-styrene
triblock copolymer and a styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene triblock
copolymer.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the above-described
pallet
cover may be combined with a thermal insulation wrap removably inserted over
the pallet
cover.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a pallet cover
suitable for use in covering at least a portion of a payload on a pallet, the
pallet cover
comprising (a) a top wall; (b) a front wall: (c) a rear wall; (d) a left side
wall; and (e) a
right side wall; (f) wherein at least one of said top wall, said front wall,
said rear wall, said
left side wall, and said right side wall comprises a first plurality of
temperature-control
members and at least one insulating member, the first plurality of temperature-
control
members arranged to circumscribe at least one void, the at least one
insulating member
being positioned within the at least one void.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of said top wall,
said
front wall, said rear wall, said left side wall, and said right side wall may
comprise a first
plurality of temperature-control members, each of the temperature-control
members may
comprise a phase-change material, the temperature-control members of each of
said top
wall, said front wall, said rear wall, said left side wall and said right wall
may be arranged
to circumscribe two voids, and an insulating member may be positioned within
each of the
voids.
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According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of said top wall,
said
front wall, said rear wall, said left side wall and said right side wall may
further comprise
additional insulation members, and the additional insulation members may be
arranged
similarly to and in contact with the first plurality of temperature-control
members.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of said top wall,
said
front wall, said rear wall, said left side wall and said right side wall may
further comprise
an inner sheet and an outer sheet, and the first plurality of temperature
control members
and the insulating members may be positioned between the inner sheet and the
outer sheet.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of said top wall,
said
front wall, said rear wall, said left side wall and said right side wall may
further comprise a
second plurality of temperature-control members, and the second plurality of
temperature-
control members may be arranged similarly to and in contact with the first
plurality of
temperature-control members.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the second plurality of
temperature-control members may comprise a phase-change material, and the
phase-
change material of the second plurality of temperature-control members may
differ from
the phase-change material of the first plurality of temperature-control
members.
According to a more detailed feature or the invention, the pallet cover may
further
comprise a bottom wall, and the bottom wall may comprise a third plurality of
temperature-control members.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of the third
plurality of
temperature-control members may comprise a phase-change material, and the
third
plurality of temperature-control members may be arranged to circumscribe a
void.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the void of the bottom
wall
may be unoccupied.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the phase-change
material
may be a gelled organic phase-change material and may comprise at least one n-
alkane and
a gelling agent selected from the group consisting of a styrene-ethylene-
butylene-styrene
triblock copolymer and a styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene triblock
copolymer.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the above-described
pallet
cover may be combined with a thermal insulation wrap removably inserted over
the pallet
cover.
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According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a pallet
cover
suitable for use in covering at least a portion of a payload on a pallet, the
pallet cover
comprising (a) a first subassembly, said first subassembly comprising (i) a
central portion.
(ii) a first end portion disposed at a first end of the central portion, and
(iii) a second end
portion disposed at a second end of the central portion; (b) a second
subassembly, said
second subassembly comprising (i) a central portion. (ii) a first end portion
disposed at a
first end of the central portion, and (iii) a second end portion disposed at a
second end of
the central portion; (c) wherein each of the first end portion of the first
subassembly, the
second end portion of the first subassembly, the central portion of the second
subassembly,
the first end portion of the second subassembly, and the second end portion of
the second
subassembly comprises at least one temperature-control member and wherein the
central
portion of the first subassembly is devoid of a temperature-control member,
and (d)
wherein the central portion of the second subassembly is mounted over the
central portion
of the first subassembly and wherein the first and second end portions of the
first
subassembly are offset relative to the first and second end portions of the
second
subassembly, whereby, when the pallet cover is positioned over a payload on a
pallet, the
central portions of the first and second subassemblies are positioned
substantially over the
top of the payload and the first and second end portions of the first and
second
subassemblies are positioned substantially along the sides of the payload.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the first subassembly
and the
second subassembly may be detachably joined to one another.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the first end portion
of the
first subassembly may be detachably joined to each of the first and second end
portions of
the second subassembly, and the second end portion of the first subassembly
may be
detachably joined to each of the first and second end portions of the second
assembly.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the first end portion
of the
first subassembly may be detachably joined to each of the first and second end
portions of
the second subassembly with complementary hook and loop fasteners, and the
second end
portion of the first subassembly may be detachably joined to each of the first
and second
end portions of the second assembly with complementary hook and loop
fasteners.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the first subassembly
may
comprise a first pair of sheets, and the first pair of sheets may be joined to
one another so
as to define therein the central portion, the first end portion, the second
end portion, and at
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least one pocket in each of the first end portion and the second end portion
for receiving at
least one temperature-control member.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the second subassembly
may
comprise a second pair of sheets, and the second pair of sheets may be joined
to one
another so as to define therein the central portion, the first end portion,
the second end
portion, and at least one pocket in each of the central portion, the first end
portion and the
second end portion for receiving at least one temperature-control member.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of the first and
second
end portions of the first subassembly and each of the central portion, the
first end portion,
and the second end portion of the second subassembly may comprise a plurality
of pockets
for receiving temperature-control members.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of the temperature-
control members may comprise a phase-change material.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the above-described
pallet
cover may be combined with a thermal insulation wrap removably inserted over
the pallet
cover.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a kit for use in
making the
above-described pallet cover.
Therefore, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit
for use
in constructing a pallet cover, the pallet cover being suitable for covering
at least a portion
of a payload on a pallet, the kit comprising (a) a top waft, (b) a front wall,
the front wall
being detachably joinable to the top wall; (c) a rear wall, the rear wall
being detachably
joinable to the top wall; (d) a left side wall, the left side wall being
detachably joinable to
each of the top wall, the front wall, and the rear wall; (e) a right side
wall, the right side
wall being detachably joinable to each of the top wall, the front wall, and
the rear walk and
(f) a plurality of temperature-control members, each of the temperature-
control members
comprising a phase-change material; (g) wherein each of said top wall, said
front wall, said
rear wall, said left side wall, and said right side wall comprises a plurality
of pockets, each
of the pockets being suitable for removably receiving at least one temperature-
control
member.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, at least one of said
front wall,
said rear wall, said left side wall, and said right side wall may comprise a
plurality of
detachably j oinable portions.
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According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of said top wall,
said
front wall, said rear wall, said left side wall, and said right side wall may
comprise a first
fabric sheet and a second fabric sheet, and the first fabric sheet and the
second fabric sheet
may be joined to one another to define the pockets for holding the temperature-
control
members.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, each of said top wall,
said
front wall, said rear wall, said left side wall, and said right side wall may
further comprise a
layer of insulation and a third fabric sheet, the layer of insulation may be
positioned
between the second fabric sheet and the third fabric sheet, and the second
fabric sheet may
be positioned between the first fabric sheet and the layer of insulation.
According to a more detailed feature of the invention, the kit may comprise a
thermal insulation wrap dimensioned to be removably inserted over the pallet
cover.
In one broad aspect, moreover, the present invention relates to a pallet cover
suitable for use in covering at least a portion of a payload on a pallet, the
pallet cover
comprising: (a) a top wall; (b) a front wall; (c) a rear wall; (d) a left side
wall; and (e) a
right side wall; (0 wherein at least one of said top wall, said front wall,
said rear wall, said
left side wall, and said right side wall comprises an inner fabric sheet, an
outer fabric sheet,
a first plurality of temperature-control members, and at least one insulating
member, the
first plurality of temperature-control members being disposed between the
inner fabric
sheet and the outer fabric sheet and comprising at least one phase-change
material, the at
least one insulating member being disposed between the inner fabric sheet and
the outer
fabric sheet and comprising foam insulation, the first plurality of
temperature-control
members arranged to circumscribe at least one void, the at least one
insulating member
being positioned within the at least one void.
In another broad aspect, the present invention relates to a pallet cover
suitable for
use in covering at least a portion of a payload on a pallet, the pallet cover
comprising:
(a) a top wall; (b) a front wall; (c) a rear wall; (d) a left side wall; and
(e) a right side wall;
(0 wherein each of said top wall, said front wall, said rear wall, said left
side wall, and said
right side wall comprises (i) an inner fabric sheet, (ii) an outer fabric
sheet, (iii) one or
more temperature-control members disposed between the inner fabric sheet and
the outer
fabric sheet, the one or more temperature-control members comprising at least
one phase-
change material and arranged to form a first windowpane structure, the first
windowpane
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structure having at least one void, and (iv) foam insulation disposed between
the inner
fabric sheet and the outer fabric sheet and within each of the at least one
void.
Additional objects, as well as aspects, features and advantages, of the
present
invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in
part will be
obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention.
In the
description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part
thereof and
in which is shown by way of illustration various embodiments for practicing
the invention.
The embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled
in the art to
practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may
be utilized
and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of
the invention.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a
limiting sense.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are hereby incorporated into and constitute a
part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments of the invention
and, together with
the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the
drawings wherein
like reference numerals represent like parts:
Figs. 1(a) through 1(c) are perspective, front, and partly exploded
perspective
views, respectively, of a first embodiment of a pallet cover constructed
according to the
teachings of the present invention, the pallet cover being shown in Figs. 1(a)
and 1(b)
covering a payload on a pallet;
Fig. 1(d) is an enlarged, partly exploded, top view of a first alternative top
wall for
use in the pallet cover of Fig. 1;
Figs. 2(a) through 2(c) are enlarged fragmentary section, enlarged rear, and
enlarged fragmentary,' partly exploded perspective views, respectively, of the
front wall of
the pallet cover shown in Figs. 1(a) through 1(c);
Figs. 3(a) and 3(b) are front and enlarged section views of one of the
temperature-
control members shown in Fig. 2(a);
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second alternative top wall for use in the
pallet
cover of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a partly exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a
pallet
cover constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentay section view of the front wall shown in Fig.
5;
Fig. 7 is a partly exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of a pallet
cover
constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a partly exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a
pallet
cover constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;
Fig. 9 is a partly exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a pallet
cover
constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, the fabric
sheets of the
pallet cover not being shown to reveal the internal components of the pallet
cover, the
pallet cover being shown in combination with a payload on a pallet;
Fig. 10 is a partly exploded perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a
pallet
cover constructed according to the teachings of the present invention; and
Fig. 11 is a partly exploded perspective view of a seventh embodiment of a
pallet
cover constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to Figs. 1(a), 1(b), and 1(c), there are shown various views of
a first
embodiment of a pallet cover that may be used to help maintain a pallet-sized
load of
temperature-sensitive materials within a desired temperature range for a
desired period of
time, the pallet cover being constructed according to the present invention
and being
represented generally by reference numeral 11.
Pallet cover 11 may comprise a front wall 13, a rear wall 15, a left wall 17,
a right
wall 19, and a top wall 21. (In Figs. 1(a) and 1(b), a portion of the outer
layer of front wall
13 is peeled away to reveal the internal contents of front wall 13.) Front
wall 13, rear wall
15, left wall 17, right wall 19, and top wall 21 may be appropriately
dimensioned to cover
substantially the entire front, rear, left side, right side, and top,
respectively, of a pallet-
sized payload. Examples of a pallet-sized payload include, but are not limited
to, a 48 inch
x 40 inch x 48 inch payload. a 48 inch x 40 inch x 40 inch payload, and a 48
inch x 40 inch
x 59 inch payload. Alternatively, it should be understood that, if desired,
front wall 13,
rear wall 15. left wall 17, right wall 19 and top wall 21 may be dimensioned
to cover only a
portion of a pallet-sized payload. For example. front wall 13, rear wall 15,
left wall 17,
right wall 19 and top wall 21 may be dimensioned to cover only a top portion
of the
payload, with a bottom portion of the payload being left uncovered.
Alternatively, if
desired, one or more of front wall 13, rear wall 15, left wall 17, right wall
19 and top wall
21 may be constructed to have an adjustable length, for example, by being made
of two or
more detachably joinable portions (e.g., a 40-inch long portion and a 20-inch
long portion
that may be used alternatively to form a 40-inch wall portion or a 20-inch
wall portion,
respectively, or that may be used in combination to form a 60-inch wall
portion) or by
having a releasable securing mechanism to permit a bottom portion of the wall
of fixed or
variable size to be folded upwardly and secured to a top portion of the same
wall.
Moreover, as can be seen in Fig. 1(d), an alternative embodiment of top wall
21, namely,
top wall 21' may be adjustable in length and/or width, for example, by being
made of a
plurality of detachably joinable portions (e.g., one or more intermediate
portions 22-1
detachably joinable between end portions 22-2 and 22-3).
Referring back now to Figs. 1(a) through 1(c), top wall 21 may be detachably
joined to each of front wall 13, rear wall 15, left wall 17, and right wall 19
using suitable
releasable fastening mechanisms 23-1 and 23-2. such as strips of VELCRO
complementary
hook and loop fasteners_ zippers, buttons, snaps, releasable adhesive tapes,
and the like,
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located on adjacent edges of top wall 21, front wall 13, rear wall 15, left
wall 17, and right
wall 19. In like fashion, each of front wall 13, rear wall 15, left wall 17,
and right wall 19
may be detachably joined to its two neighboring side walls using suitable
releasable
fastening mechanisms 24-1 and 24-2, such as VELCRO complementary hook and loop
fasteners, zippers, buttons, snaps, releasable adhesive tapes, and the like,
located on
adjacent edges of front wall 13, rear wall 15, left wall 17, and right wall
19.
Notwithstanding the above, if desired, top wall 21 may be permanently secured
to each of
front wall 13, rear wall 15, left wall 17, and right wall 19 using a suitable
permanent
fastening mechanism, such as rivets, stitches, a permanent adhesive, and the
like, and each
of front wall 13, rear wall 15, left wall 17, and right wall 19 may be
permanently secured to
its two neighboring side walls using a suitable permanent fastening mechanism,
such as
rivets, stitches, a permanent adhesive, and the like. Moreover, if desired,
front wall 13,
rear wall 15, left wall 17, right wall 19 and top wall 21 may be constructed
as integrally
formed portions of a unitary structure.
Referring now to Figs. 2(a) through 2(c), front wall 13 is shown in greater
detail.
As can be seen, front wall 13 may be an assembly of components and may
comprise an
inwardly-facing (i.e., proximate to the payload) fabric sheet 25 and an
outwardly-facing
(i.e., distal to the payload) fabric sheet 27. Inwardly-facing fabric sheet 25
and outwardly-
facing fabric sheet 27 may be generally rectangular sheets of generally
similar size, ki th
inwardly-facing fabric sheet 25 preferably being slightly undersized relative
to outwardly-
facing fabric sheet 27 so that small portions of the top and of the left and
right sides of
outwardly-facing fabric sheet 27 are uncovered by inwardly-facing fabric sheet
25. Each
of inwardly-facing fabric sheet 25 and outwardly-facing fabric sheet 27 may be
made from
a suitable material. Solely for purposes of illustration and not intended as
an exhaustive
discussion of variations, each of sheets 25 and 27 may be a NYLON polyamide
fabric
sheet, each of sheets 25 and 27 may be a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fabric
sheet, each of
sheets 25 and 27 may be a PVC-coated fabric sheet, sheet 25 may be a PVC
fabric sheet
and sheet 27 may be a PVC-coated fabric sheet or vice versa, one or more of
sheets 25 and
27 may be a polyethylene fabric sheet, a polyethylene scrim, or a polyethylene
terephthalate fabric sheet, such as a metalized or vinyl-coated polyethylene
terephthalate
fabric sheet; alternatively, sheets 25 and 27 may be any suitable combination
of materials
previously described. According to one particular embodiment, sheet 25 may be
a PVC
mesh fabric sheet, and sheet 27 may be a PVC-coated fabric sheet. A benefit to
using a
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mesh fabric for sheet 25 is that a user may easily visually inspect whatever
contents, if any,
may be positioned between sheets 25 and 27. If desired, to prevent a payload
that is
covered by pallet cover 11 from being heated due to exposure to direct
sunlight, one or
both of sheets 25 and 27 may be made from a material that reflects solar
radiation or may
be coated with a material that reflects solar radiation; alternatively, one or
both of sheets 25
and 27 may have a color that reflects solar radiation.
Inwardly-facing fabric sheet 25 and outwardly-facing fabric sheet 27 may be
joined
to one another along the top and bottom edges of fabric sheet 25 by a pair of
outer seams
31 and may additionally be joined to one another along a plurality of
generally parallel
inner seams 33. Seams 31 and 33 may be formed by sewing or by other suitable
means.
Seams 31 and 33 may define a series of parallel pockets 35 that may extend
generally
horizontally across most of the width of front wall 13. Pockets 35 are
preferably defined
by seams 31 and 33 so as to have open ends 35-1 and 35-2; however, pockets 35
may be
selectively closed by strips of VELCRO complementary hook and loop fasteners
36-1 and
36-2 located on opposing faces of sheets 25 and 27 at each of ends 35-1 and 35-
2. In this
manner, as will be discussed below, temperature-control members may be
removably and
securely disposed within pockets 35.
A strip of VELCRO fasteners 23-2 may be secured to the rear of sheet 27 near
its
top edge (i.e., in the area uncovered by the top edge of sheet 25) for
detachable joining to a
strip of complementary VELCRO fasteners 23-1 provided as part of top wall 21
(see Fig.
1(c)), and additional strips of VELCRO fasteners 24-1 may be secured to the
rear of sheet
27 near its left and right edges (i.e., in the areas uncovered by the left and
right edges of
sheet 27) for detachable joining to strips of complementary VELCRO fasteners
24-2
provided as parts of left wall 17 and right wall 19 (see Fig. 1(c)).
Preferably, VELCRO
fasteners 23-1 and 23-2 and VELCRO fasteners 24-1 and 24-2 are appropriately
positioned
on their respective walls so that, when such walls are joined together
thereby, the pockets
of one wall come into close proximity with the pockets 35 of the wall joined
thereto. In
this manner, as will be apparent from the discussion below, it is possible for
the contents of
pockets 35 in neighboring walls to be brought into close proximity to one
another, thereby
30 minimizing the gap between temperature-control members of neighboring
walls.
Front wall 13 may further comprise a plurality of temperature-control members
37.
Each temperature-control member 37. which is also shown separately in Figs.
3(a) and
3(b), may be appropriately dimensioned to occupy a portion of or substantially
the entirety
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of one of pockets 35. Temperature-control member 37 may take a variety of
different
forms. According to one embodiment, temperature-control member 37 may comprise
a
pair of flexible polymer films 38-1 and 38-2. Film 38-1 may be flat, and film
38-2 may be
shaped, for example, by thermoforming to include a plurality of troughs. Films
38-1 and
38-2 may then be joined to one another, for example, by heat-sealing along the
respective
peripheries of films 38-1 and 38-2 to define a peripheral seam 39-1 and also
in the areas
corresponding to the spaces between adjacent troughs to define a plurality of
inner seams
39-2 through 39-5, thereby defining a plurality of sealed pouches 40-1 through
40-5. As
can be appreciated, temperature-control member 37 may be made by a continuous
process.
It is to be understood that the number and shape of pouches 40-1 through 40-5
that are
shown in Fig. 3(a) are merely illustrative and that the number and shape of
pouches 40-1
through 40-5 may be varied while still coming within the scope of the present
invention. A
quantity of a phase-change material 41 may be positioned within each of sealed
pouches
40-1 through 40-5 prior to the joining together of films 38-1 and 38-2.
According to one
embodiment, films 38-1 and 38-2 and phase-change material 41 may have a
combined
weight of approximately 11 ounces. Phase-change material 41 may be any phase-
change
material including any water-based or organic phase-change material. Solely
for purposes
of illustration, phase-change material 41 may comprise, in a particular
embodiment, a
gelled organic phase-change material of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent
Application
Publication No. US 2014/0290285 Al, inventors Formates et al., published
October 2,
2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. More
specifically, such
a phase-change material may be formed by mixing one or more n-alkanes, such as
n-
tetradecane (C14), n-pentadecane (C15), n-hexadecane (C16) and n-octadecane
(C18), with
a gelling agent in the form of a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock
copolymer or a
styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene triblock copolymer. Examples of the
aforementioned
gelling agent may include one or more of KratonTM G1651 copolymer (a high
molecular
weight SEBS tri-block copolymer with a styrene:rubber ratio of 30:70 % by
weight),
KratonTM G1654 copolymer (a high molecular weight SEBS tri-block copolymer
with a
styrene:rubber ratio of 33:67 ')/ci by weight), or Kratonlm G1660 copolymer
(an SEBS tri-
block copolymer with a styrene:rubber ratio of 31:69 % by weight), or an SEPS
copolymer,
such as, but not limited to, SEPTONTm S2005 copolymer (a high molecular weight
SEPS
tri-block copolymer with a styrene:rubber ratio of 20:80 % by weight). The
mixing of the
above-described one or more n-alkanes and the above-described gelling agent
may take
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place at a first temperature at which the at least one n-alkane is in a liquid
state and which
is below the flashpoint of the at least one n-alkane and at which the mixture
is not a
viscoelastic liquid, whereby a non-homogeneous mixture is produced; then,
heating the
non-homogenous mixture to a second temperature that is below the flashpoint of
the at
least one n-alkane and at which a viscoelastic liquid is formed; and, then,
cooling the
viscoelastic liquid to room temperature.
Examples of gelled organic phase-change materials that may be suitable for use
as
phase-change material 41 may include the following:
Example Phase-Change % N- Composition % Gelling
Composition
No. Temperature Alkane of N- Agent of
Gelling
Alkane(s) Agent
1 3 C 92.6% 96.5%C14 7.4% KratonTM
and 3.5% C16 G1654 powder
2 3 C 92.6% 98.5%C14 7.4% KratonTM
and 1.5% C16 G1654 powder
3 5 C 92.6% 100% C14 7.4% Kratoem
G1654 powder
4 7 C 92.6% 38.2% C14 7.4% Kraton TM
and 61.8% G1654 powder
C16
5 7 C 92.6% 16% C14 and 7.4% KratonTm
84% C15 G1654 powder
6 17 C 9/6% 100% C16 7.4% KratonTM
G1654 powder
7 24 C 92.6% 10.5% C16 7.4% KratonTM
and 89.5% G1654 powder
C18
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The gelled organic phase-change materials of the above-identified Examples
were
prepared by placing the above-described mixtures into a pre-heated oven
operating at 50 C
for a period of approximately 2.5 hours and then removing the mixtures from
the oven and
allowing the mixtures to cool to room temperature. Some of the properties of
temperature-
control members including the resulting mixtures are presented below.
Example Avg. Measured Measured 12 Compressive
No. Thickness THAW FREEZE Freeze/Thaw Modulus
(inches) Phase- Phase- Cycle (psi)
Change Change Syneresis (%
Temp (Deg Temp weight) ,
C) (Deg C)
1 0.466 4.18 1.89 0.0 Not tested
2 0.473 4.26 3.28 0.0 Not tested
3 0.508 5.27 4.27 <0.5 4.09
(8 cycles)
4 0.479 7.78 7.79 0.0 Not tested
5 0.502 7.42 7.03 0.0 Not tested
6 0.475 17.46 16.95 0.0 Not tested
7 Not tested Not tested Not Not tested Not tested
tested
Gelled organic phase-change materials of the type described above possess many
desirable attributes. For example, such gelled materials are capable of
conforming to
virtually any shaped pouch or other receptacle therefor while, at the same
time, being less
susceptible to leaking than liquid phase-change materials. In addition, such
gelled
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materials possess good shock absorption and, therefore, provide physical
protection to a
payload covered thereby. Additionally, such gelled materials are capable of
surviving
many freeze/thaw cycles while maintaining good performance as a phase-change
material.
Moreover, such gelled materials possess excellent compression strength ¨ even
when
placed under a payload (as in certain embodiments discussed below).
Furthermore, the
above-described gelled phase-change materials tend to cover more surface area
of a
product load than do an equivalent amount of a liquid phase-change material,
especially
when the phase-change material is oriented vertically. This is because liquid
phase-change
materials tend to flow to the bottom of the receptacle containing the liquid
phase-change
material. Consequently, orienting the receptacle vertically tends to cause a
significant
portion of the liquid phase-change material to pool at the bottom of the
receptacle. (This
problem may persist, albeit to a lesser extent, even if the receptacle is
oriented
horizontally.) By contrast, the subject gelled materials tend not to flow
much, if at all, to
the bottom of a receptacle therefor.
In a preferred embodiment, a quantity of phase-change material 41 may be
contained within each of pouches 40-1 through 40-5, the contents of pouches 40-
1 through
40-5 being sealed from one another. Preferably, each of pouches 40-1 through
40-5
contains approximately the same quantity of the same type of phase-change
material 41.
Notwithstanding the above, it is to be understood that different pouches 40-1
through 40-5
of a given temperature-control member 37 may contain different types and/or
quantities of
phase-change material and/or that certain pouches 40-1 through 40-5 of a given
temperature-control member 37 may contain phase-change material whereas other
pouches
40-1 through 40-5 of the same temperature-control member 37 may be devoid of
phase-
change material. It is also to be understood that different temperature-
control members 37
employed in front wall 13 may contain different types and/or quantities of
phase-change
material and/or that different walls may contain different types and/or
quantities of phase-
change material. Also, it is to be understood that certain pockets 35 of front
wall 13 may
be entirely devoid of a temperature-control member 37 or of any other contents
whereas
other pockets 35 of front wall 13 may contain one or more temperature-control
members
37. Consequently, if desired, one may have phase-change material 41 positioned
across a
substantial portion of the surface area of front wall 13 (although phase-
change material 41
is not present in those areas corresponding to the seams 39-1 through 39-5 of
temperature-
control members 37 or in those areas corresponding to the seams between
pockets 35).
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Alternatively, if desired, one may have a more uneven distribution of phase-
change
material 41 across the surface area of front wall 13, such as by positioning
greater amounts
of phase-change material in the corner regions of front wall 13 and lesser or
no amounts of
phase-change material in the central regions of front wall 13 or by
positioning greater
amounts of phase-change material in the upper portion of front wall 13 and
lesser or no
amounts of phase-change material in the lower portion of front wall 13.
Front wall 13 may further comprise along its bottom edge one or more closure
devices 43, such as straps, clips, hooks, or the like, that may be used to
secure front wall 13
to a pallet P. Pallet P may be a conventional wooden or plastic pallet.
Alternatively, pallet
P may be a thermally insulated pallet, such as an AIRDEX pallet, which is
commercially
available from Foam Fabricators, Modesto, CA. An AIRDEX pallet typically
contains 2+
inches of expanded polystyrene insulation. The use of a thermally insulated
pallet may
obviate the desirability, in certain cases, of positioning an insulating
material and/or a
phase-change material below the payload.
As noted above, rear wall 15, left wall 17, right wall 19, and top wall 21 may
have a
construction generally similar to that of front wall 13. (Top wall 21 may be
devoid of
straps 43; however, another alternative embodiment of top wall 21, namely, top
wall 21"
(see Fig. 4) includes one or more looped handles 44 to facilitate the lifting
and movement
of top wall 21".) Each of rear wall 15, left wall 17, right wall 19, and top
wall 21 may
possess any of the variations of the types described above in connection with
front wall 13,
and each of front wall 13, rear wall 15, left wall 17, right wall 19, and top
wall 21 may
possess any such variations independently of one another.
As alluded to above, pallet cover 11 may additionally comprise a bottom wall
for
placement under the payload. Said bottom wall may comprise a layer of
insulation and/or
a phase-change material. If a phase-change material is used, such a phase-
change material
is preferably a gelled organic phase-change material of the type described
above.
Referring now to Fig. 5, there is shown is a partly exploded perspective view
of a
second embodiment of a pallet cover constructed according to the teachings of
the present
invention, the pallet cover being represented generally by reference numeral
51.
Pallet cover 51 may be similar in most respects to pallet cover 11, the
principal
difference between the two pallet covers being that, whereas pallet cover 11
may include
front wall 13, rear wall 15, left wall 17, right wall 19, and top wall 21,
pallet cover 51 may
comprise a front wall 53, a rear wall 55, a left wall 57, a right wall 59, and
a top wall 61.
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As seen best in Fig. 6, front wall 53 of pallet cover 51 may differ
principally from front
wall 13 of pallet cover 11 in that front wall 53 may further comprise an outer
layer of
thermal insulation 63 and a third fabric sheet 65. Outer layer of insulation
63, which may
be any suitable thermally-insulating material, such as, but not limited to, a
metalized
polyester or a bubble wrap with a metalized polyethylene terephthalate layer
applied
thereto, may be positioned on the outside surface of outwardly-facing fabric
sheet 27, and
third fabric sheet 65 may be positioned on the outside surface of insulation
63. If desired,
third fabric sheet 65 may be sewn to fabric sheets 25 and 27 along seams 31
and 33. In
another embodiment (not shown), insulation 63, may be positioned between
temperature-
control members 37 and outwardly-facing fabric sheet 27, and third fabric
sheet 65 may be
omitted.
Rear wall 55, left wall 57, right wall 59, and top wall 61 may have a
construction
generally similar to that of front wall 53 (it being understood that top wall
61 may be
devoid of straps 43 and may include looped handles as in top wall 21'). Each
of rear wall
55, left wall 57, right wall 59, and top wall 61 may possess any of the
variations of the
types described above in connection with front wall 53, and each of front wall
53, rear wall
55, left wall 57, right wall 59, and top wall 61 may possess any such
variations
independently of one another.
Referring now to Fig. 7, there is shown a partly exploded perspective view of
a
third embodiment of a pallet cover constructed according to the teachings of
the present
invention, the pallet cover being represented generally by reference numeral
71.
Pallet cover 71 may be similar in most respects to pallet cover 11, the
principal
difference between the two pallet covers being that, whereas each of front
wall 13, rear
wall 15, left wall 17, and right wall 19 of pallet cover 11 may be constructed
as a unitary
structure, pallet cover 71 may comprise a front wall 73, a rear wall 75, a
left wall 77, and a
right wall 79, each of which may be constructed as a two-piece structure that
may be
detachably joined together, for example, using complementary strips of VELCRO
hook
and loop fasteners or another type of releasable fastener. Consequently, front
wall 73 may
comprise a first portion 74-1 and a second portion 74-2, rear wall 75 may
comprise a first
portion 76-1 and a second portion 76-2, left wall 77 may comprise a first
portion 78-1 and
a second portion 78-2, and right wall 79 may comprise a first portion 80-1 and
a second
portion 80-2. In the embodiment of Fig. 6, first portions 74-1, 76-1, 78-1 and
80-2 may be
detachably joined to top wall 21 using, for example, complementary strips of
VELCRO
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hook and loop fasteners or another type of releasable fastener, and second
portions 74-2,
76-2, 78-2 and 80-2 may be detachably joined to first portions 74-1, 76-1, 78-
1 and 80-1
using complementary strips of VELCRO hook and loop fasteners or another type
of
releasable fastener. In a similar fashion, neighboring first portions 74-1, 76-
1, 78-1 and 80-
1 may be detachably joined to one another using complementary strips of VELCRO
hook
and loop fasteners or another type of releasable fastener, and neighboring
second portions
74-2, 76-2, 78-2 and 80-2 may be detachably joined to one another using
complementary
strips of VELCRO hook and loop fasteners or another type of releasable
fastener.
As can readily be appreciated, the positions of first portions 74-1, 76-1, 78-
1 and
80-1 and second portions 74-2, 76-2, 78-2 and 80-2, respectively, may be
switched so that
second portions 74-2, 76-2, 78-2 and 80-2 are detachably joined directly to
top wall 21,
with first portions 74-1, 76-1, 78-1 and 80-1 being detachably joined to
second portions 74-
2, 76-2, 78-2 and 80-2, at a location distal to top wall 21. As can also be
appreciated, first
portions 74-1, 76-1, 78-1 and 80-1 may be detachably joined directly to top
wall 21,
without joining second portions 74-2, 76-2, 78-2 and 80-2 to top wall 21 or to
first portions
74-1, 76-1, 78-1 and 80-1, respectively, so as to form corresponding walls of
reduced
length. In an analogous fashion, second portions 74-2, 76-2. 78-2 and 80-2 may
be
detachably joined directly to top wall 21, without joining first portions 74-
1, 76-1, 78-1 and
80-1 to top wall 21 or to second portions 74-2, 76-2, 78-2 and 80-2,
respectively, so as to
form corresponding walls of reduced length. If both first portions 74-1, 76-1,
78-1 and 80-
1 and second portions 74-2, 76-2, 78-2 and 80-2 are joined to top wall 21,
regardless of
whether first portions 74-1, 76-1, 78-1 and 80-1 are directly joined to top
wall 21 or second
portions 74-2, 76-2, 78-2 and 80-2 are directly joined to top wall 21, both
sets of portions
may be partially or fulls' equipped with temperature-control members 37:
alternatively, the
portions more distal to top wall 21 may be completely devoid of temperature-
control
members 37 whereas the portions more proximal to top wall 21 may be partially
or fully
equipped with temperature-control members 37.
Pallet cover 71 may be modified by incorporating a layer of thermal insulation
into
one or more of top wall 21, front wall 73. rear wall 75, left wall 77, and
right wall 79 in a
manner similar to that described above in connection with pallet cover 51.
Referring now to Fig. 8, there is shown a perspective view of a fourth
embodiment
of a pallet cover constructed according to the teachings of the present
invention, the pallet
cover being represented generally by reference numeral 81.
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Pallet cover 81 may be similar in many respects to pallet cover 71, the
principal
difference between the two pallet covers being that pallet cover 81 may
comprise, in
addition to pallet cover 71, a thermal insulation wrap 83 that may be
removably inserted
over pallet cover 71. Wrap 83, which may be shaped to cover the top, front,
rear, left side
and right side of pallet cover 71 while having an open bottom, may be a
laminated
structure and may comprise, for example, one or more layers of metalized
plastic. An
example of a suitable material for use as wrap 83 may include a laminate
comprising a
polyethylene terephthalate layer, a polypropylene layer, and an aluminum
layer, such a
laminate being commercially available from Trip & Co. (Nieuw-Vennep, The
Netherlands)
as GoodCape Extreme. Other suitable
laminates may include combinations of
polyethylene, aluminum and airbubble foil lavers (e.g., GoodCape Standard,
Trip & Co.)
and combinations of aluminum, nonwoven, and polypropylene layers (e.g.,
GoodCape
Light, Trip & Co.).
Thermal insulation wrap 83 may also be used in combination with pallet cover
11,
pallet cover 51 and any of the variations thereto discussed herein.
As noted above, it may be desirable in certain situations to have a non-
uniform
distribution of phase-change material along one or more faces of the payload.
In particular,
it may be desirable to have greater quantities of phase-change material along
the edges of
each face of the payload since these areas are often the most vulnerable to
temperature
excursions. One example of such an approach is discussed below.
Referring now to Fig. 9, there is shown a partly exploded perspective view of
a fifth
embodiment of a pallet cover constructed according to the teachings of the
present
invention, the pallet cover being represented generally by reference numeral
101. It should
be noted that. in Fig. 9, the fabric sheets of pallet cover 101 are not shown
to reveal the
internal components of pallet cover 101. It should also be noted that pallet
cover 101 is
shown in Fig. 9 in combination with a 40 inch by 48 inch payload L on a pallet
P.
Pallet cover 101 may comprise a plurality of temperature-control assemblies
103-1
through 103-5 that may be positioned along the front, rear, left side, right
side, and top
surfaces, respectively, of the payload L. Each of temperature-control
assemblies 103-1
through 103-5 may comprise a plurality of temperature-control members, each of
which
may be generally similar in structure to temperature-control member 37. A
plurality of
temperature-control members of each of assemblies 103-1 through 103-5 may be
arranged
to form a bifurcated windowpane structure that may be aligned generally with
the top, left
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side, right side and bottom edges of its respective payload surface, with an
additional
temperature-control member extending from the top temperature-control member
to the
bottom temperature-control member at their respective midpoints. The above-
described
construction of assemblies 103-1 through 103-5 provides optimal protection to
the areas of
payload L most vulnerable to temperature excursions.
Pallet cover 101 may additionally comprise a temperature-control assembly 103-
6
to be positioned below payload L. Temperature-control assembly 103-6 may
differ from
temperature-control assembly 103-1 through 103-5 in that temperature-control
assembly
103-6 may omit the temperature-control member that corresponds to the
temperature-
control member extending from the top temperature-control member to the bottom
temperature-control member at their respective midpoints.
It is to be understood that each of temperature-control assemblies 103-1
through
103-6 may comprise, independently of one another, a single type of temperature-
control
member or may comprise a plurality of different types of temperature-control
members that
may vary from one another in phase-change material composition, quantity
and/or
dimensions.
Pallet cover 101 may further comprise a plurality of thermal insulation
members
105-1 through 105-5. Insulation members 105-1 through 105-5, which may be made
of
bubblewrap or any other similarly suitable insulating material, may be aligned
with and
placed in contact with the outwardly-facing surfaces of temperature-control
assemblies
103-1 through 103-5, respectively.
Pallet cover 101 may further comprise a plurality of thermal insulation
members
107, Insulation members 107, which may be made of a flexible polyurethane
foam, may
be positioned in the spaces within temperature-control assemblies 103 and
insulation
members 105. Preferably, the combined thickness of each set of temperature-
control
assembly 103 and insulation member 105 is approximately equal to the thickness
of
insulation members 107.
Without wishing to be limited to any particular dimensions, the temperature-
control
members used to form temperature-control assemblies 103-1 through 103-5 may be
approximately 7 inches wide and approximately 'A inch thick, insulation
members 105-1
through 105-5 may be approximately 'A inch thick, and insulation members 107
may be
approximately 1 inch thick.
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In another embodiment (not shown), insulation members 105-1 through 105-5 of
pallet cover 101 may be replaced with additional temperature-control
assemblies that may
be the same as or different from temperature-control assemblies 103-1 through
103-5.
Moreover, in such an alternative embodiment, the two layers of temperature-
control
assemblies may not have a windowpane configuration, but rather, may simply be
a solid
rectangular shape, and insulating members 107 may be omitted.
It is to be understood that thermal insulation wrap 83 could also be removably
inserted over pallet cover 101 or the variations thereto discussed herein.
Referring now to Fig. 10, there is shown a partly exploded perspective view of
a
sixth embodiment of a pallet cover constructed according to the teachings of
the present
invention, the pallet cover being represented generally by reference numeral
151.
Pallet cover 151 may comprise a first assembly 153 and a second assembly 155.
First assembly 153 may comprise a central panel 157 and a pair of end panels
159 and 161.
First assembly 153 may be constructed so that end panels 159 and 161 are
integrally
formed with and extend from opposite ends of central panel 157. Central panel
157 may
be similar in size, shape and construction to top wall 21 of pallet cover 11,
except that top
wall 21 need not include any pockets 35. End panels 159 and 161 may be similar
in size,
shape and construction to left side wall 17 and right side wall 19,
respectively, or pallet
cover 11.
Second assembly 155 may comprise a central panel 165 and a pair of end panels
167 and 169. Second assembly 155 may be constructed so that end panels 167 and
169 are
integrally formed with and extend from opposite ends of central panel 165.
Central panel
165 may be similar in size, shape and construction to top wall 21 of pallet
cover II. and
end panels 167 and 169 may be similar in size, shape and construction to front
wall 13 and
rear wall 15, respectively, of pallet cover ii.
Strips 173 and 175 of VELCRO complementary hook and loop fasteners may be
positioned on or proximate to the lateral edges of end panels 159, 161, 167
and 169 so that
end panel 159 may be fastened to each of end panels 167 and 169 and so that
end panel
161 may be fastened to each of end panels 167 and 169. In this manner, first
assembly 153
and second assembly 155 may be detachably joined to one another. Other types
of
detachable fasteners. such as. but not limited to, zippers, buttons, snaps,
releasable
adhesive tapes, and the like may be used in addition to or instead of the
aforementioned
VELCRO complementary hook and loop fasteners. In another embodiment, one or
more
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portions of first assembly 153 and second assembly 155 may be permanently
secured to
one another, for example, using rivets, stitching, a permanent adhesive or the
like.
Alternatively, first assembly 153 and second assembly 155 may be secured to
one another
with a combination of detachable fasteners and permanent fasteners.
One or both of central panels 157 and 165 may be provided with looped handles
177 similar to looped handles 44, and one or more of end panels 159. 161, 167
and 169
may be provided with straps (not shown) similar to straps 43.
As can also be appreciated, one or both of assemblies 153 and 155 may be
modified
in one or more of the panels thereof to include an insulation layer of the
type shown in Fig.
6.
As can also be appreciated, one or both of assemblies 153 and 155 may be
modified
to further include an additional panel or other structure that may be
positioned below the
payload. Such a structure may include, but need not include, a temperature-
control
member as described above. Alternatively, the structure for positioning under
the payload
may be a physically discrete structure from assemblies 153 and 155.
As can further be appreciated, pallet cover 151 may be used in combination
with
thermal insulation wrap 83.
Referring now to Fig. 11, there is shown a partly exploded perspective view of
a
seventh embodiment of a pallet cover constructed according to the teachings of
the present
invention, the pallet cover being represented generally by reference numeral
201.
Cover 201 may be similar in many respects to cover 151. the principal
difference
between the two covers being that, whereas each of end panels 159. 161. 167
and 169 of
cover 151 may be constructed as a unitary structure, pallet cover 201 may
comprise end
panel 203, 205, 207 and 209, each of which may be constructed as a two-piece
structure
that may be detachably joined together. for example, using complementary
strips of
VELCRO hook and loop fasteners or another type of releasable fastener.
Consequently,
end panel 203 may comprise a first portion 211-1 and a second portion 211-2,
end panel
205 may comprise a first portion 213-1 and a second portion 213-2, end panel
207 may
comprise a first portion 215-1 and a second portion 215-2, and end panel 209
may
comprise a first portion 217-1 and a second portion 217-2.
As can further be appreciated. pallet cover 201 may be used in combination
with
thermal insulation wrap 83.
23
CA 03001048 2018-04-04
WO 2017/062675 PCT/US2016/055831
The embodiments of the present invention described above are intended to be
merely exemplary and those skilled in the art shall be able to make numerous
variations
and modifications to it without departing from the spirit of the present
invention. All such
variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the
present invention.
24
